By Tim Wagner
Live & Uncorked, the Fox Valley Park District’s popular outdoor concert series, is playing an extra week this year for a total of eight live performances at historic Blackberry Farm in Aurora.
Fox Valley Park District officials extended the summer lineup, which begins Thursday and runs through July 27 – to eight weeks, after last year’s seven concerts collectively drew a record crowd of 3,986.
“We got a lot of feedback from guests wanting another week added on because they loved it so much,” said Abby Oldenburg, Blackberry Farm’s rentals and events manager who oversees Live & Uncorked.
The concert series celebrates its 10th season and plays to the 21-and-over crowd. Tickets are $8 per person any day before the event, or $10 day of. Diehard concertgoers can save more by purchasing a season pass for $56, which allows access to all eight performances. To spare a wait outside the park, guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online, or in advance at Blackberry Farm, Vaughan Athletic Center, Prisco and Eola community centers, or Cole Center.
This year’s lineup features a diverse medley of Chicagoland’s favorite cover bands, including Libido Funk Circus, which kicks off the series Thursday, June 8 with an energetic show dedicated to disco.
The Summer series features:
- Hello Weekend (“a party train of pop”), June 15;
- Billy Elton (legendary songs of Billy Joel and Elton John), June 22;
- Yankee Cowboy (country rock), June 29;
- Infinity (classic to current rock), July 6;
- R-Gang (R&B from Motown era to 21st Century), July 13;
- Dancing Queen (a salute to ABBA), July 20;
- Semple (70s rock to modern pop), July 27.
“By far one of my favorite lineups with big-name bands and some of the most popular in the Chicagoland area,” said Oldenburg. “And there’s a wide variety of music, we have almost every genre covered.”
Gates will open at 6:15 p.m. and shows begin at 7 p.m.. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs, picnic baskets, wagnons, coolers and their favorite craft beer or bottled wine.
“The pre-concert scene reminds me of a tailgate party, but inside the park,” said Oldenburg. “The 45 minutes before the concert has that pre-game energy when everyone socializes and gets their spots set up.
“People celebrate birthdays and have company parties here. There’s definitely competitions on who brings the best spread, and we’ve seen inflatable couches and strings of lantern lights fastened around tables. It’s just a really good Thursday night activity to get out and enjoy the Summer.”
For more information or to purchase individual tickets or season passes to Live & Uncorked, visit www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/summerconcerts.
—Fox Valley Park District